


The Not-Birthday Party

by FaeOrabel



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Accidentally getting a birthday wrong, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birthday Party, Birthday Presents, Blaise is in on it, Coniniving Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Happy Birthday Cherry, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Harry Potter, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Harry Potter, Pining, So is Hermione, Surprise Party, with help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29988600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaeOrabel/pseuds/FaeOrabel
Summary: Harry freaks out when he realises he didn't know Theo's birthday was coming up. Draco helps him come up with a plan for a surprise party, never letting him in on the fact it's not actually Theo's birthday.
Relationships: Theodore Nott/Harry Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20
Collections: Happy Birthday Ana and Renee!





	The Not-Birthday Party

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlocYrrehc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlocYrrehc/gifts).



> Written for AlocYrrehc's "birthday"!!!
> 
> Happy not-birthday, my dear. I feel like you might relate to Theo a bit here. (;
> 
> Completely un-beta'd. I apologise for any glaring mistakes.

Harry and Theodore Nott were working diligently in the library on a Friday night when most of their friends were either down in Hogsmeade or back in the eighth year common room. 

Well, Theo was working diligently. Harry was trying not to stare at Theo’s hands, or the way he bit his lip, or his crystalline eyes as they flitted across pages and pages of notes. 

They’d been paired together for a Care of Magical Creatures project. Harry thought Hagrid somehow knew of his crush and did it on purpose, but he knew there was no way. There was only one person who knew about his crush, which meant there were two people. 

Hermione and Draco had surprised everyone when they started dating at the beginning of eighth year—a special McGonagall created for everyone who wanted to re-do their seventh or take their NEWTs at school. Ever since then, she started sharing everything with Draco, and she admitted this to Harry. He was fine with it once he and Draco finally set aside their differences and became tentative friends. 

Ron took a little more convincing, but he was fine with it since he didn’t ‘have to see the ferret every day.’ Ron decided to not come back for his eighth year and sat his NEWTs at the Ministry so he could immediately start working in the shop with George. 

Hermione was fuming until Ron explained his reasoning to which she admitted she was only mad because couldn’t picture a school without the three of them together. 

The only time they had a disagreement about Draco’s new role in Hermione and Harry’s lives was when Ron felt like he might be replacing him. Draco surprised all three when he invited Ron out for drinks to talk things through. Since that day, Ron’s worries weren’t seen again. 

Harry read the same sentence for the tenth time when Theo closed his notebook. 

“I think that’s enough research for tonight. I’m sure you would rather be spending your night with your friends rather than working to the early hours of the morning with me. We can compare notes on Sunday,” Theo smiled softly, stacking his books neatly before putting them in his bag. 

Harry wished he could say there’s no place he’d rather be, but he got stuck on another detail.

“Wait, Sunday? I thought we were meeting up tomorrow,” Harry asked quietly, trying not to sound forceful or… needy. 

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, but I’m going home tomorrow. I have a birthday party.” Theo shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. 

“Oh! Well, no worries then. Have fun. I’ll see you Sunday.” Harry knew his voice sounded broken and weird, but he was trying not to freak out in front of the boy. 

They both packed up and walked in silence back to the Common Room, where Theo went to his room and Harry went straight over to Draco. 

“Emergency meeting.  _ Now _ ,” Harry whispered urgently in his ear and then kept walking back out of the Common Room and to the nearest bathroom. He knew Draco would follow him shortly. 

“What’s the matter, Potter?” Draco let the door click shut behind him, watching Harry pace near the sinks. Pulling out his wand, he swished it at the door, locking it, Harry assumed. 

Harry had tried to get Draco to call him ‘Harry,’ but he still didn’t even do that with Hermione unless he was being gross, so he wasn’t going to hold his breath. 

“Why didn’t you tell me it was Theo’s birthday tomorrow?” Harry exclaimed, yanking his fingers through his hair. “I have no time to get a good gift, or if I even should because he never told me and you never did either. Maybe I should just let it be. But what if he’s expecting a gift from me? I mean, we are kind of friends now, right? Oh Merlin, what if he doesn’t even consider us friends?”

“Potter—Potter. Harry!” Draco shouted over Harry’s ramblings. 

“What?” Stopping on a dime and whirling around to the boy, Harry froze. 

“What makes you think Theo’s birthday is tomorrow?” Draco asked slowly as if he was talking to a wild animal. 

“Because he can’t study tomorrow! Haven’t you been listening?” 

“Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean you were actually making any sense. How about you start from the beginning?” Draco leaned one shoulder against the wall and motioned for Harry to start.

“Theo said he can’t meet up and study for the CoMC project because he has to go home for his birthday party,” Harry said slowly, trying to remain calm. 

“His—?” Draco’s brow furrowed and then he smirked. “Okay, and what was all the rest of that about a gift and him not thinking you’re friends?”

“I mean, he only told me  _ today _ that his birthday is tomorrow, so does that mean he doesn’t expect a gift from me? I wasn’t invited to his party. If I wasn’t invited to his party, does that mean we aren’t actually friends like I’ve been thinking? Or is he just shy and not the kind of person to tell people his birthday because he doesn’t want them to make a big deal out of it? Or does he just expect people to know? No, I think he just doesn’t expect gifts. But then why didn’t he invite me to his party?” Harry was taking big gulps of air by the end, having forgotten to breathe. 

Draco paused a moment, letting Harry catch his breath, looking very thoughtful. “Now, Potter. I need you to listen very closely. One, I know for a fact he considers you a friend. He’s told me so. And Two, the only reason Theo didn’t tell you about… his party is because— Uh. His… father. Yes, his father is always the one who organizes it and he only invites a very select few. The people Theo has known since diapers. Purebloods. You know? His dad is still struggling with the whole shift to tolerance. But I  _ definitely _ think you should get him a gift.”

Harry nodded through his speech when he got a great idea. “Wait, what if I plan him a surprise party? For Sunday night. When we are supposed to be studying. That way he can finally have a party with all his friends here at school. 

“I—” Draco took a deep breath, his mouth doing a funny little movement. “I think that’s a  _ great _ idea. Why don’t we plan it tonight? Since I’ll obviously be at Theo’s party tomorrow.”

“That would be great! You’re such a lifesaver,” Harry beamed, exhaling a sigh of relief. 

“Yes, that’s me. The lifesaver.”

* * *

Draco burst into Blaise’s room—well,  _ their _ room when he wasn’t sneaking into Hermione’s— later that night, interrupting him from some nightly reading. 

“You need to do me a huge favour and under no circumstances can you be seen by Potter tomorrow. I’ll buy you a month’s supply of Bertie’s Bott’s.” He exclaimed like it was the hardest thing Blaise would ever have to do. He wasn’t opposed to getting down on his knees and begging, but knew he wouldn’t have to when Blaise just raised an eyebrow and set his book aside with a smirk on his face. 

“Deal.”

* * *

Harry had spent all of Saturday afternoon down in Hogsmeade with Hermione, picking up supplies for Theo’s surprise party. He’d already approached everyone he could find that morning—Draco had promised to tell Blaise, Pansy, and Daphne of the plan since they’d all be at Theo’s other party. Which meant all of eighth year was in on the surprise. Harry thought it was easier to just invite the whole of eighth year than trying to figure out who Theo considered friends. A bigger party meant a bigger surprise. 

The plan was to catch Theo at lunch, since the boy spent most of his Sunday’s in the library anyway, and ask him to meet Harry at the Common Room after dinner instead of their usual spot in the Restricted Section. 

“I think it’s really sweet what you’re doing, Harry, but don’t you think you might be going a little bit overboard?” Hermione asked as Harry shrank three bags full of every kind of candy from Honeydukes. 

“Maybe a little, but he’s never had a full surprise party, so I want to make it special,” Harry replied, looking at his list and realising he just had the gift he planned on getting Theo left. 

“It’ll definitely be a surprise,” Hermione sighed, following Harry to Tomes and Scrolls. 

“Don’t forget to pick up something you want as a gift for helping me,” Harry reminded her before walking to the back, finding the rare book he knew Theo wanted but didn’t have yet. Draco had given him some gift ideas as well as helping him make plans. That reminded Harry that he should get something for Draco, too. Eyeing the eagle owl quills, he knew they were big, but they looked perfectly flamboyant for Draco. 

He picked up two. Much like Hermione, Draco was good at breaking his quills. 

Buying everything, including the book Hermione picked for herself, they decided to leave the bags full-size as they walked back up to the school. The shop owner had warned Harry against shrinking the book he chose for Theo. 

Storing everything in his dorm, he walked out in time to see Hermione sneaking into Draco and Blaise’s room. Eighth years were only given a single roommate. 

“Hermione? You okay?” Harry asked. 

She slammed the door shut. “Oh! Yes. Just forgot my… Potions textbook. I’m just going to grab that really quick. Goodnight, Harry!” Hermione opened the door barely enough to squeeze her body through and then slammed it shut again. 

Brushing it off, Harry continued down to the Great Hall for dinner. 

  
  


Harry knew right away when Theo was back in the morning, his eyes finding him immediately at the breakfast table. Not noticing how long he’d been looking, he froze when Theo’s eyes found his, feeling Harry’s on him. He shot Harry a small smile and then returned to the conversation he was engaged in. 

Harry didn’t look over at Theo again that morning. 

Lounging around the Common Room, pretending to play chess with Draco. Well, he told himself he was pretending to make up for the massive pounding he was receiving. Once Theo left with his bag, the corner of a blanket sticking out of it, and a large book, Harry knew it was time. 

Draco, Harry, Hermione, and anyone who was around helped them set everything up. They moved all the furniture to the walls, leaving a large space in the middle of the room. Harry would set up the drinks table later, enlarging all the supplies he’d purchased. He made sure there were alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices. At the same time, Hermione would set up the food table, mostly just finger foods since they’d be getting back from dinner.

“Where’s Blaise?” Harry asked, noticing he was still absent from yesterday. 

“He’s out there to make sure Theo doesn’t come back for any reason. He usually doesn’t, but it would be just your luck that today was the day he forgot something,” Draco answered, hanging a ‘Happy Birthday’ banner with his wand. 

Hermione helped drape streamers from the ceiling, and Luna, who was the one seventh year that Harry had invited—knowing she and Theo talked frequently about her imaginary creatures—hung little fairy lights around the room. She recruited actual fairies to hang out in large Mason jars for the evening and then set them up with a long-lasting levitation charm. 

“I guess you’re not wrong. I’ll be sure to thank him,” Harry grumbled. 

Lunch passed quickly, Theo not even showing up. Harry assumed he must’ve gone down the Hogsmeade for it or packed a small picnic for himself like he sometimes did. 

When Dinner hit, Harry and Hermione set cooling, heating, and stasis charms on all the food and drinks before joining everyone in the Great Hall. Harry wasn’t able to really eat because he was so nervous, choosing instead to pick at his food and push it around with his fork. 

“Alright there, Harry?” Theo asked.

Harry started, having not noticed him walk up to the table. “Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Did you get my note?” 

“Yeah, Draco just gave it to me. So, Common Room tonight?” Theo confirmed. 

“Yep, I thought a change of scenery might help concentration,” Harry said, remembering the excuse that Hermione supplied him with. 

“Sounds good, I’ll see you there, I’m just going to pick up some books from the library first.” Theo smiled, walking out of the Great Hall. 

Harry followed a couple of seconds later, watching Theo disappear around the corner to the library. Turning and signalling the rest of the eighth years, the lower levels were intrigued when the whole year got up and left en masse. 

Everyone loitered around the Common Room, waiting for the signal from the door—Blaise was standing outside and would knock when Theo turned the corner and was headed back.

Harry paced nervously. He had made Draco promise that he would take half the credit for the party so that Harry didn’t look like some creepy stalker. A frequent worry that Hermione had to reassure him was false much of yesterday. 

The knock came, and everyone quieted, waiting for the door to open. 

Harry held his breath. 

The creak of the door caused everyone to break out in chaotic choruses of “Surprise!” and “Happy Birthday!”

Harry forgot to say anything; he was too focused on Theo’s reaction. 

Theo’s face lit up and then dropped in confusion, looking to Blaise. 

“It’s not your birthday, is it?” He asked Blaise. 

Blaise whispered in Theo’s ear, who then locked eyes with Harry. Harry’s heart stopped, wondering what Blaise could’ve said. 

Draco reached Harry at the same time Theo did. 

“What a great surprise Harry planned for you, isn’t it?” Draco said over the music and people talking and mingling now that Theo had shown up. 

Harry snapped to Draco, spluttering. This was not the plan. 

“Harry? You planned this for me?” Theo asked softly, looking at him with an expression he couldn’t place. Was he happy about it? Embarrassed? Upset?

“Well, uh, it—it was me and Drac—” Harry started to say.

“Nope, it was all Harry!” Draco threw a hand around Harry’s shoulder, “He was really excited to plan something for you when you mentioned on Friday that you were going to a  _ birthday party _ .”

Harry’s eyebrows knit together at Draco’s emphasis. Theo, however, looked like he finally understood. 

“Oh…  _ Oh _ . Um, Harry. Can we talk?” Theo shuffled his feet a little. 

“Su—Sure,” Harry nodded, pushing Draco’s arm off of him.

They walked over to a little corner in the room, happy to be ignored by most everyone, having found the alcohol. 

“What’s up? Do you not like it?” Harry gulped. 

“No, no! It’s great. But um, Harry, when I said I was going home for a birthday party, I meant my Uncle’s. My mom’s brother is still close to the family, and he doesn’t really have anyone else. So, we usually celebrate with him. I didn’t mean my birthday. My birthday was back in September. I don’t usually make a big deal about it.” Theo explained, and with each word Harry felt himself grow smaller and smaller until he thought he was probably the size of a mouth. 

“Oh Godric, but I thought—” Harry looked over to Draco who was laughing with Blaise. 

He knew now what had happened, thinking back on Draco’s initial reaction to his inane ramblings.  _ “What makes you think tomorrow is Theo’s birthday?” _ That prat! He let Harry freak out and plan this entire thing, never even hinting that yesterday wasn’t actually Theo’s birthday. 

Harry groaned, running a hand through his hair. He was turning back to Theo, ready to apologise profusely, getting down on his knees if he had to. He was stopped when he felt a soft kiss on his cheek. 

“I really appreciate it, though. It’s… sweet,” Theo whispered, blushing softly. 

“It is?” Harry asked dumbly. 

Theo nodded, “I’ve never had a surprise party before, and even if it’s not actually my birthday. I appreciate the effort you put into it.” 

Harry blushed this time, unable to look anywhere but at Theo. 

“I, uh, I’m glad you like it.”

“Would you like to go to Hogsmeade sometime?” Theo asked. “We could… talk. And get some food. Instead of just studying, even though I enjoy spending time with you.”

“I’d like that.” Harry gave him a lop-sided smile. 

They spent the rest of the party together, Harry only parting from Theo’s side to give Draco his gift for helping him with a side of Kidney Jab.

* * *

Draco rubbed at his stomach, looking to his girlfriend for sympathy. “I swear he lacerated my kidney with that punch.”

“You’re just lucky it worked out like you said it would, or I’d have broken your nose again,” Hermione raised an eyebrow, her nose in the air. 

  
“Please,” Blaise scoffed. “There’s no way it would’ve ended any differently. We can’t get Theo to  _ shut up _ about ‘Harry this’ and ‘Harry that.’ I was about to set them up on a date myself; I was going mad.”


End file.
